SRI’s USAID-funded work in Lebanon’s agribusiness cluster is generating impressive growth and momentum. Overall, agricultural export growth is strong and significant new business orders have been achieved through well coordinated and sustained marketing efforts at trade shows in Europe and North America.
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Information and Communication technology Cluster
Lebanon has several competitive advantages in the ICT sector—especially in software and website development—including a multilingual and skilled workforce; world-class advertising and design firms; multilingual media content providers and web portals; and a computer/Internet friendly culture. Moreover, Lebanon has one of the highest information and communication penetration rates in the Middle East, whether measured by the estimated number of Internet users (400,000), cellular mobile subscribers (775,000) or adult literacy rate (92 percent for men; 80 percent for women).
Consequently, SRI is working to market Lebanon as a regional ICT center, utilize Lebanon’s ICT capabilities to market tourism and agribusiness activities, and support ICT policy dialogue and reform.
Working in close collaboration with the Professional Computer Association (PCA) and other Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) industry stakeholders, SRI carried out this year a variety of activities, ranging from reducing the digital divide in rural Lebanon to ICT export marketing and to enhancing the industry’s ability to carry out collective cluster initiatives.
                                                                                                                                          

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The Tourism Cluster
Since 2003, Lebanon’s tourism industry has been witnessing a rebirth, characterized by impressive annual growth in tourist arrivals and revenues. SRI’s USAID-funded activities are focusing on stimulating rural tourism by supporting local tour operators and facilities, creating domestic awareness of the hidden attractions of rural Lebanon, and adding value to international marketing initiatives. SRI is engaged in three key activities to promote growth and development of the tourism sector: training, product development, and marketing domestically and internationally.
                                                                                                                           

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